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Today’s headlines
President Biden gave a rare speech in the Oval Office last night to discuss his decision to end his re-election campaign. He also laid out plans for the next six months of his presidential term. Biden said he didn’t want to drop out of the presidential race, but the stakes were too high to risk. Here are four key takeaways from his speech.
On July 14, 2024, US President Biden delivered a speech in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, calling for a calming of political rhetoric.
Erin Schaaf/Getty Images
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Erin Schaaf/Getty Images
- 🎧This is a monumental moment for Biden because it marks the beginning of the end NPR’s Tamara Keith talks about his long career in public life first up. For the remainder of his term, Biden plans to continue fighting for reproductive and civil rights, working to lower costs and speaking out against extremism and political violence. Keith said as his term comes to an end, he will be remembered for what happens in the November election. If Vice President Kamala Harris wins, he will be remembered as “the rare president who put party and country before himself.” If she loses, he will be the man who ousted former President Donald Trump from office and then brought him back into office.
Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his government’s war effort in his first address to the US Congress since the Hamas attacks on October 7. He called on the United States to stand with Israel, urged Congress to quickly provide additional military aid, and vowed that the United States would “do whatever it takes” to defeat Hamas. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers boycotted the speech, and thousands of protesters marched outside the Capitol. Netanyahu is expected to meet with Biden and Harris separately today and with former President Trump tomorrow. The Israeli prime minister’s visit comes at a critical moment in American politics, with Harris hoping to strike a delicate balance on Israel ahead of the 2024 election.
- 🎧 NPR’s Asma Khalid says many people have told her Harris has shown greater empathy for Palestinian civilians Than Biden. She was also one of the first in the administration to show a less dismissive response to pro-Palestinian protests in the United States. But that doesn’t mean they will necessarily vote for her. Khalid said that as Harris runs for president, she needs to avoid alienating supporters of Israel while winning back some young, progressive brown and black voters alienated by Biden’s actions.
In the upcoming election, Harris faces a fundamental challenge in uniting a broad coalition Biden won in 2020. Aspects of her record, particularly her time as a prosecutor in California, are being closely scrutinized. Here’s what one Pittsburgh Democrat and one Republican have to say about the issue.
- 🎧 morning edition Host Steve Inskeep has been in the swing state of Pennsylvania talking to voters. Many people shared with him differing views on Harris’ prosecutorial record. One Democratic activist said many people like her who live in the suburbs appreciate Harris’ emphasis on public safety. Another person in a historically black community told Inskeep they had mixed feelings about Harris’ incarcerated past. At times, civil rights groups and activists have clashed over her decisions. To unite the Democratic coalition, she needs both those who support law and order and those who are skeptical of it.
Listened to it today
A view of NPR’s small desk.
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A view of NPR’s small desk.
NPR
This year, the annual small table competition received nearly 7,000 entries. While there was only one winner, there was no shortage of talent. NPR Music’s Bobby Carter, who has produced Tiny Desks for some legendary hip-hop artists like Mac Miller and Noname, details some of his favorites. Carter talked about how hip-hop performers are stepping up their submissions this year and the diversity of entries.
life advice
The large study looked at 11- and 12-year-olds, 72% of whom had their own mobile phones.
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Sladic/E+/Getty Images
Teenagers may not be getting enough sleep due to the way they use electronic devices before bed. Scientists studied nearly 9,400 children aged 11 and 12 for the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, a long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States. Problems with using screens and how well they sleep. Follow-up was conducted one year later. Here’s how parents can help their kids get better sleep.
- 💤 No screen An hour before bed.
- 💤 Turn off your phone completely at night. Don’t just put it on vibration.
- 💤 Resist the urge to check your phone If you wake up in the middle of the night.
- 💤 Put your phone in another room at bedtime.
3 things you need to know before you go
IOC President Thomas Bach speaks on Wednesday at the 142nd Session of the International Olympic Committee in Paris ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images
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Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images
- International Olympic Committee selection Salt Lake City 2034 Winter Olympics, but it’s too early to celebrate. The International Olympic Committee yesterday threatened to reject Hong Kong’s bid in an attempt to thwart a US investigation into Chinese sports doping.
- Chipotle CEO reminds employees to provide customers with large spoons This comes after TikTokers said volume on their service had been reduced.
- Researchers believe they have discovered “dark oxygen” produced at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean – oxygen that is not produced through photosynthesis. The discovery could challenge common beliefs about how oxygen is produced on Earth.
This newsletter is edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
